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Systematic Success Breakdown

ByMonica Caraway

Online Conference

 

We at Small Biz Thoughts recently held our 3rd annual Online Conference and today’s Odd Tuesdays episode features snippets from some of the best keynotes this year.

The Systematic Success 2014 Conference featured 12 of the best business and technology speakers from North America and the UK in our ongoing pursuit to bring the best practices and tips for MSPs to your “online door”.

 

Rayanne Buchianico

We also welcome back Rayanne Buchianico in our Oddballs segment.

Rayanne offers tips on the Desktop Premier version of QuickBooks vs. the Online Essentials version.

 

Also announced in this episode is that Karl’s latest book is out!

 

Project Management

The Project Management in Small Business book, co-authored with Dana J Goulston, features project planning & management processes that are quick to learn and easy to teach to your assistants, fellow techs, and sub-contractors.

The book highlights the processes for dealing with spinoff work and is a true How-To on managing scope creep!

 

 

 Click below to hear July 15th’s show:

Odd Tuesdays

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Data Loss Realities & Myths And Wayward Techs

ByMonica Caraway Uncategorized

Ted Hulsy, eFolder

Listen to today’s episode HERE.

eFolder‘s Marketing VP Ted Hulsy joins us on the show to talk about their Cloudfinder solution. Cloudfinder is a business-grade cloud-to-cloud SaaS backup that currently backs up an organization’s Office 365, Google Apps, Salesforce, and Box accounts.

Ted also gives an overview of how eFolder connects with partners who are “working on their businesses”. He says they have had great success in connecting with such partners at Robin Robins, Gary Pica, and HTG events.

 

Manuel Palachuk

 

One of our resident Oddballs, Manuel Palachuk, also joins us in our Oddballs segment to talk about how to motivate wayward technicians through “smart goals”.

 

 

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save $$ on the upcoming MSP Online Conference!

MSP Online Conference

 

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
June 2 – June 30
Online Classes
Financial Processes that Make All the Difference
Register HERE.

* Business Solutions Channel Transitions Seminar
June 4
Newark, NJ
Find Out More HERE.

* VARTrends @ ChannelCon
June 15
New Orleans, LA
Find Out More HERE.

* Datto Partner Conference
June 15 – 17
New Orleans, LA
Find Out More HERE.

* SMB Online Conference 2015
June 23 – 25
Online
Find Out More HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

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Molding Your First Employee & Keeping Techs Motivated

ByMonica Caraway Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Josh PetersonJosh Peterson, Co-founder of Bering McKinley and a keynote at this year’s annual SMB Online Conference, joins Karl to discuss tech hiring tips. Josh advises MSP business owners to learn how to “right size” your personnel – a concept involving not targeting MCSCs or the top-level techs for your business, but rather aiming for entry-level techs that you craft into great engineers.

Josh says that even with your first hire, it is better to have an entry-level guy who shadows you and learns your good habits in order to mold a great employee. He says this will save you a great deal of money on high priced engineers and also avoids the situation where you hire a high-priced, experienced tech that may have bad habits and not be as open to learning your processes. Josh also talks about the importance of having a 90-day training plan and a strong career path emphasis for your entry level techs. He notes that the 90-day plan is so crucial in fact, that it is better to wait and hire that new tech, despite how busy workflow may be, until you have such a training plan ready.

Josh concludes his interview with Karl by extending a special offer for Odd Tuesdays listeners.

amy_reg_picAmy Babinchack, owner of Harbor Computer Services, returns in our Oddballs segment. She made her Oddballs debut in our Feb 4th episode where she highlighted banking fraud issues and how MSPs can put their clients into a position that limits their clients’ liability. Today Amy talks about how to create job satisfaction with your techs in some creative & non-traditional ways. Amy says her practices help keep her techs fresh and creative, while maintaining efficiency and revenue.

 

Odd Tuesdays

 

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Still Odd

ByMonica Caraway Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

First of all…WOOT!

We made it a full year in production!!

Odd Tuesdays

 

Our debut was last year, Jan 21 2014, where we welcomed SMB Nation’s Harry Brelsford and Cloud Nine’s Lars Anderson.

We have since added our Oddballs segment with the amazing resident Oddballs Rayanne Buchianico, Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio, Amy Babinchak, and Manuel Palachuk. We have also syndicated the show to iTunes!

And we look forward to a great year for Odd Tuesdays ahead!

Thanks to everyone who has been following the show, telling others about the show, liking us on Facebook, giving us terrific show ideas, and a special thanks to Eric Black from Fiverr who has been responsible for much of the artwork on our blog!

Karl and I thank you very much!! 🙂     …and now, on to more Podcasts!

Robert CraneIn today’s episode, Robert Crane, from CIAOPS, talks about the “green fields” opportunity that exists with SharePoint. Robert has written a number of books on SharePoint and says MSPs who choose to be a reseller of SharePoint become a specialist in a broadening technology landscape.

Robert explains that being a reseller allows MSPs to offer clients better compliance and control options, improved dynamic search capabilities, as well as a host of other progressive options.

Manuel Palachuk also joins today’s program in our Oddballs segment. Manuel shares some terrific how-to’s on documenting your processes.


Manuel Palachuk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click below to catch today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

 

* And be sure to listen for the Odd Tuesdays coupon code good for everything in the SMBBooks store!
Great deals on online classes (like below) and more!

Great Little Seminar

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HIPAA for MSPs

ByMonica Caraway HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl speaks with David Sims, an MSP based in Charlotte, NC who runs the HIPAA for MSPs website. David Sims

David says the website was borne out of his own experience and frustration with trying to educate himself and maintain HIPAA compliance. He also explains how the website has evolved into a terrific general resource for IT professionals.

David also talks about the advantages of running a private group on LinkedIn. He says his group is a space connecting professional members in a Mastermind type setting, with current real business problems being hashed out and advice being given, to including advice from his HIPAA for MSPs team.

 

Bob NitrioComputer Wallah Bob Nitrio also joins the show in our Oddballs segment.

Bob talks about business continuity and disaster recovery. He offers advice on handling recovery from such malware as CryptoWall and CryptoLocker and gives feedback on the SmartShield utility program and on Easy Recover Essentials from NeoSmart.

 

Today’s episode also includes information on upcoming Tech events happening around the country and our Tech news segment as provided by Neowin.net.

 Click below to catch today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

 

 ** And listen to catch the code to take advantage of money off on MSP online classes over at Great Little Seminar! **

 

MSP Classes

 

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Lead with Training, Follow With Managed Services

ByMonica Caraway HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Bigger Brains
Karl talks to Chip Reaves, from Bigger-Brains, about their Bigger MSP Program.

Chip says the program is a high quality video series featuring online training for business professionals covering Windows 8, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, Gmail, sales & marketing, and more. The training series has several key elements.

1) The training is compelling – Chip says the videos were filmed with multiple cameras in studio with a focus on engagement. He says any clients that have compared the Bigger-Brains training next to comparable online training programs have found the difference to be night and day. Often online training is quite boring with a simple voiceover and screen shots. He claims their training is a cut above the rest.

2) The training is convenient for the end user –  The videos are structured so you can do the 10-minute training sessions on basically any device that can access the internet.

3) The training was built with resellers in mind – Chip says the program is IT Channel focused and adds to the offerings MSPs have overall for their clients. It is noted that MSPs could put together creative bundles/packages featuring the online training and managed service plans.

There is some mention that MSPs often neglect to consider the budgets SMBs designate annually for training, which goes beyond the IT budgets MSPs normally target. In fact, it is noted that this can be a good angle in targeting more business, with MSPs first earning new clients based on business professional training offerings and then moving into a managed services soft sell. Karl mentions that another angle to consider is that as the economy begins to recover, there are untapped government grants that pay for people to get training. MSPs could educate themselves about such grants and include that in pitches to potential clients.

Chip encourages anyone considering their training to check out their website at http://biggermsp.com. He also notes the further training Bigger-Brains is currently developing, to include a HIPAA training they hope to have up and running by the end of March 2014.

Bob Nitrio, Computer WallahAlso featured in this Odd Tuesdays episode is our returning Oddball Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio discussing Software Defined Networks (SDN).

 

 

 

Click below to hear March 18th’s show:

Odd Tuesdays

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MSP Non-Profit Clients Access Amazing Tech Resources via TechSoup

ByMonica Caraway Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Tech SoupListen to the latest episode HERE.

Karl welcomes to the show Dan Webb, Vice President of Technical Solutions and Services at TechSoup Global. Dan talks about the wealth of technology resources MSPs can help their non-profit clients access through TechSoup.

Dan explains that TechSoup aggregates vendor donations and donation programs so that not-for-profits can readily access the resources. He says they have 650,000 NGOs all over the globe in their system. He says last year they helped deliver $900 million fair market value in tech support, software, hardware, and service donations to those NGOs.

Dan mentions that they administer many large tech company philanthropic programs, such as the Microsoft Donation Program. He says they have resources from Skype credits, Intuit programs for PC and Mac, multiple language options, and more. He notes that Dell, HP, Lenova, and Apple are a part of their Refurbished Computer Initiative.

Tech SoupDan also walks MSPs through the first steps they need to take to get their non-profit clients connected with TechSoup resources. He notes that fulfillment can often be digital and immediate for organizations that register and qualify.

Karl is also joined by MSP Mark Moreno, Owner of C&M Support Services & Consulting. Mark has been servicing non-profit and church organization clients for many years and has extensive experience in working with TechSoup.

Mark MorenoMark says they have been able to access amazing resources for clients, to include exchange servers in the low hundreds, Office suites in the $10-12 range, and licenses for servers at ridiculously low prices.

Mark also offers advice to MSPs looking to service non-profits. He encourages MSPs to take time to learn and understand the particular non-profit space you wish to approach, whether it be servicing churches, schools, or something else.

 

 

 

Manuel PalachukManual Palachuk also joins the show in our Oddballs
segment to talk about building a repair & restoration catalog for your IT service delivery business.

 

 

 

 

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

And listen out for today’s coupon code to save on upcoming Online MSP Classes over at Great Little Seminar!

MSP Classes

*LINKS from today’s episode*
* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
Mar 24 – Apr 21
Online Classes – The Ten Golden Rules of PSA
Register HERE.

*CompTIA Annual Meeting
March 24-26
Ponte Verda, FL
More info HERE.

* ASCII Success Summit Tours
March 25 -26
Columbus, OH
Find Out More HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB – with Dave Sobel, MAXfocus
March 31st – 10:00 AM Pacific
Online
*Free* Register now HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

2 Comments

  1. Pingback: Systematic Success Breakdown | SMB Community Podcast by Karl W. Palachuk

  2. Karl/Monica – what a wonderful Podcast! For anybody who wasn’t listening in to the SMB Online Conference live then this should give you a great idea of the wisdom shared by so many of the speakers (and my own ramblings!).

    Thanks so much for inviting me to speak with your community on this years SMB Online Conference, and keep up the great work with the Odd Tuesday’s Podcast – it’s awesome!

    Reply

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